Tire expander



June 26, 1934. H Jv SCHUMACHER 1,964,602

' TIRE EXPANDER Filed June 19, 1933 ia/ 'L a/ fly izsAZZorneys Patented June 26, 1934 TIRE EXPANDER Hector J. Schumacher, Minneapolis, Minn. Application June 19, 1933, Serial No. 676,483

10 Claims.

My invention relates to tools for use in connection with pneumatic tires and particularly to tools for expanding tire casings.

When the interior of a pneumatic tire casing is being inspected or worked upon as in applying a patch it is necessary that the casing be expanded to provide access to the interior.

'It is an object of my invention to provide a tire expander capable of use in spreading apart the beads of a casing and holding said beads in spread position.

Another object is to provide such a tire expander having, when in expanding position, no upwardly extending parts and having an open central portion to permit unobstructed and convenient access to the interior of the expanded portion of the casing.

still another object is to provide such a tire expander of simple, inexpensive, compact and rugged construction.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will more fully appear from the following descriptiominade in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein like'reference characters refer to the same or similar parts throughout the various views, and, in which,

Fig. 1 is a top view of my tire expander shown 'in operative engagement with a tire casing to hold the same in expanded position} Fig. 2 is a side view of my tire expander shown in operative engagement with a tire casing preparatory to expanding the same, and

Fig. 3 is a side View of my tire expander shown in operative engagement with a tire casing to hold the same in expanded position.

Referring to the drawing, my tire expander includes a main rectangular skeleton frame 4 formed of suitably bent strap iron or similar material and comprising side portions 4a and end portions 4b. The abuttingends of the piece of strap iron forming the main frame 4 may be welded together or otherwise suitably joined.

A generally U-shaped supplemental frame 5, formed of strap iron and having right angled'corhers, is pivotally connected at the free ends of its respective side portions to the medial portions of opposite sides 4a of the main frame 4 by rivets 5a or other suitable means.

Cooperating tire bead engaging elements such as the jaws or fingers 6, shaped as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and formed of heavy sheet material, are welded or otherwise secured to the respective side portions 4:]. of the main frame 4 and the side portions of the supplemental frame 5 in the positions shown in Figs. 2 and 3. A stop pin 7, extending 7 frame outwardly from one side portion 4a, of the main frame 4, is positioned to limit the overlap of the fingers 6 on the main frame 4 and corresponding fingers 6 on the supplemental frame 5.

A bracket 8, formed of strap iron or other suitable material is welded or otherwise secured to the medial portion of the end portion 4a of the main frame 4 at the end opposite the fingers 6 to project outwardly from the frame 4. A hook or latch 9 for engaging the outer transverse edge of the supplemental frame 5 is pivotally attached to the bracket in depending inwardly facing relation to the main frame 4 as shown in the drawing. A wire spring 9a is mounted in the bracket-8 and is connected to the hook 9 to urge the same inwardly with respect to the main frame 4.

In normal use of my tire expander the finger carrying portion of the supplemental frame 5 is swung toward the finger carrying end of the main frame 4 until the shown in Fig. 2 and strikes the stop '7. Then the tire expander is engaged with the beads of a tire casing such as the tire T, as shown in Fig.

2. Next, the free or upper end of the main frame 4 is pulled downwardly toward the supplementary 5 and the main and supplemental frames, cooperating toproduce toggle action, force the fingers 6 of the respective frames and the re-. spective beads of the tire engaged thereby apart and bring the fingers 6 into full engagement with the beads of the tire. As the limit of this movement is approached, the transverse portion of the supplemental frame engages the sloping portion of the hook or dog 9 to force the same outwardly against the pressure of the spring 9a. When the lower edge of the supplemental frame passes the shoulder adjacent the sloping portion of the dog 9 the spring 9a. will force the dog into the position thereof shown in Fig. 3, wherein the dog will lock the supplementary frame 5 to the main frame 4 in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Access to the interior of the tire casing may be conveniently had through and adjacent the open main frame and the entire device is fiat and compact with no upwardly projecting parts.

Obviously in releasing the device it is only necessary to pull the dog 9 out of engagement with the supplemental frame 5 and raise the dog carrying end of the main frame 4 until the parts are disposed as shown in Fig. 2. The tire expander may then, of course, be lifted from engagement with the tire casing.

It is apparent that I have invented a novel, simple, inexpensive, compact and rugged form of supplemental frame reaches the position relative to the main frame 4 tire expander, which is easily operated, which permits complete access to the interior of the expanded portion of a tire and which when in operated position has no upwardly projecting parts.

It will, of course, be understood that various changes may be'made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the various parts without departing from the scope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a tire expander, a main frame including a pair of side members spaced a considerable distance apart, a supplemental frame also including a pair of spaced side members pivotally connected at their ends to medial portions of said main frame, said supplemental frame including a transverse member rigidly connecting said side members, said main frame having a spreading end provided with a tire bead engaging element and a cooperating tirebea'd engaging element carried by the free end of said supplemental frame, the oposite end of said main frame constituting a lever handle for applying toggle action upon said tire bead engaging elements and means for retaining said frames in spread position.

2. In a tire expander, a main frame including a pair of side members spaced a considerable distance apart and a transverse connecting member extending therebetween, a supplementary frame including a pair of side members also spaced a considerable distance apart and a transverse connecting member extending therebetween, said frames being pivotally connected to form a pair of toggles, said main frame having a portion extending beyond said pivotal connection and constituting a lever handle for operating said toggles and cooperating tire bead engaging elements on the outer ends f said toggles.

3. In a tire expander, a main frame including a pair of side members spaced a considerable distanceap'ar't and a transverse connecting member extending therebet'ween, a supplementary frame including a pair of side members also spaced a considerable distance apart and a transverse connecting member r'exter'iding therebetween, the side members of said supplementary frame being swingably connected to "the respective ones or the side members of said ain Trameat corresponding points, a tire bead engaging element carried by "said main frame and a cooperating bead engaging element carried by said supplementary frame, and means 'connectedwith one of said frames for applying toggle action on said bead engaging elements.

4. In a tire expander, a main framega supplemental frame swingably connected "to said main frame, a tire bead engaging element carried by said main frame and a cooperating tire bead engaging element carried by said supplemental frame, said frames being so arranged that "said elements overlap to cooperatively form a headset)- arating wedge for one position of said supplemental frame relative to said main frameand are spread apart for another relative position, and releasable means for retaining said frames in said last mentioned relative position.

5. In a tire expander, a skeleton main frame, a substantially U-shaped supplemental frame, 'the ends of the respective sides 'of said supplemental -frame being pivotally connected to the respective 'medial portions of the sides of said main frame, the transverse portionof said supplemental frame being swingable to and between positions adjacent opposite ends -of said main frame, a tire bead engaging element carried by transverse member connecting one end portion of said main frame and a cooperating tire bead engaging element carried by the outer portion of said supplemental frame, said supplemental frame and one end of said main frame cooperating to form a toggle, the other end of said main frame forming a handle for operating said toggle, and releasable means for maintaining said toggle in spread position.

6, In a tire expander, an open rectangular main frame, a generally U-shaped angularly cornered supplemental frame, the ends of the respective sides of said supplemental frame being pivotally connected to the medial portions of the respective sides of said main frame, said supplemental frame being swingable with respect to said main frame to and between positions wherein the transverse portion of said supplemental frame is respectively adjacent opposite ends of said main frame, a tire bead engaging finger mounted on each side portion of said main frame adjacent one end thereof and cooperating bead engaging elements mounted on corresponding portions of said supplemental frame, said supplemental frame and one end of said main frame cooperating to form a toggle, the remaining portions of said main frame forming a handle for operating said toggle, and releasable means for retaining the transverse portion of said supplementary frame in a position adjacent said handle forming end of said main frame.

'7. In a tire expander, an open main frame including side members spaced a considerable distance apart and transverse members connecting corresponding ends of said side members, a supplemental frame including side members and a (no one end of one side member to the corresponding end of the other side member, the free ends of the side members of said supplemental frame being pivotally connected to the medial portions of respective side portions of said main frame, said main frame having a spreading end provided with a tire bead engaging element and -a cooperating tire bead engaging element carried .-by the free end of said supplemental frame, theremaining end of said main frame constituting a lever handle for applying toggle action upon said tire bead engaging elements, and means for looking said frames in spread position.

-8. In a tire expander, a main frame including 5- a pair of 'side members spaced widely apart to permit passage of a workmans hand the'rebetween and a transverse connecting member extending therebetween, a supplementary frame including a pair of side members also spaced .1330 widely apart and a transverse connecting member extending therebetween, the side members of said supplementary frame being swingably connected to the respective ones of the side members of said main frame at corresponding points, 0135 a tire bead engaging element carried by said main frame and a cooperating bead engaging element carried by said supplementary frame, andmeans connected with one of said frames to which force may be applied to bring about tog- 51 gleaction on said bead engaging elements.

9. Ina tire expandena main frame, a supplemental frame swingably connected to said main frame, a tire bead engaging element carried by said main frame and a cooperating tire bead @1545 engLing element carried by said supplemental frame, said frames being so arranged that said elements overlap to cooperatively separating wedge for one position form a bead of said suptween, said frames being pivotally connected to form a pair of aligned toggles disposed parallel to each other, said main frame having a portion extending beyond said pivotal connection and constituting a lever handle fol-operating said toggles, and cooperating tire bead engaging elements on the outer ends of said toggles.

. HECTOR J. SCHUMACHER. 

